Complications
by EvilSeaCaptain
Summary: None of the LAPD cops can crack the hijackers, but those cops, to quote Catherine Zeta Jones, "Were all men". Complications ensue. More detailed summary inside. PG-13 for language, violence, and thematic issues.
1. Ellie

Summary: The LAPD has been trying to nap the truck hijackers for months now, but none of their cops have had any luck ... because, to quote Catherine Zeta-Jones, "They were all men." What if Brian O'Connor's character had been a woman? An AU spin-off of the original movie. Eventual romance between Dom and an OC. Complications ensue. I've just dropped into this story, and haven't spent much time on setting up the characters or the scene, because I assume that you already have seen the movie, and know.   
  
Chapter One  
  
Dominic wrapped his knuckles over the wheel of his car, revved the engine, stepped on the gas, and was off like a bat out of hell. He cast a glance, left and right of him, and didn't see a damn soul, which was what he wanted. He grinned; he hadn't expected to see anyone, either. He worked the car through the streets, and came over the line without even being contested. There was a round of cheers and applause as he slammed on the breaks and hopped out. He slapped skin with a couple of buddies, before he came face to face with a woman a couple of inches shorter than him with dark brown hair and intense, serious eyes. His first thought was that she was another chick trying to get laid, but he had to reverse his assumption almost immediately.   
  
"You racin' again tonight?" she asked, in a voice that was a harsh southern accent.   
  
"Maybe," he said, crossing his arms and looking her up and down. "Why?"  
  
"Because I wanna run you."  
  
He snorted in amazement, and then said,  
  
"You wanna run me?"  
  
"Yeah," she said, unfazed.   
  
"Can I ask why?"  
  
"Because I think I can beat you." At this, he laughed.   
  
"You're on, honey!" There was a chorus of whoops from the bystanders who had been watching the scene.   
  
"All right!" she grinned challengingly and jumped into her car. They lined up on the start, started their engines, and burned rubber. Cars parallel, they shot down the street. Dom looked over to his right, there she was, with hell written all over her face and determination obvious all over her body. She seemed to sense his glance and looked over to him. She threw him a grin, and let her Nos take over. She shot ahead. Dom did the same, and in a second he was ahead of her. He laughed, and gave it a little more. He was over the line, but as he looked behind, he realized that she was only perhaps two car's lengths behind him. Damn, she was good. But, hell, it didn't matter how close you were, winning is winning.   
  
They braked their cars and jumped out. She was grinning.   
  
"Damn," she said.  
  
"What are you smiling at?"  
  
"Dude, I almost had you!"   
  
"You almost had me? You never had me," he said, mockingly. "You never had your car! Granny-shiftin', not double-clutchin' like you should. Your lucky you didn't blow the intake valves. You almost had me?intoal racer: it don't matter if you win by an inch or a mile -- winning is winning." The crowd yelled.   
  
She opened her mouth as if to respond, but she was cut off -  
  
"OH SHIT WE GOT COPS! COPS! COPS! COPS! GO!" It was Leon, sounding the alarm. The crowd dispersed almost instantly. Within seconds, the street was deserted and engines could be heard growling in all different directions, fading fast. The girl leapt into her car and took off, and Dom turned towards his. He shot off down the road, hit a safe spot, parked, and jumped out. He started walking, looking relaxed, at ease, as a cop car sped by him. He tail-spun, though, and turned back, calling through the speaker, "Toretto - stop right there! TORETTO!"   
  
He turned and ran, feet pounding a fast rhythm on the concrete. He turned and tore down an alley, jacket flying out behind him. He heard a car on his heels, but didn't chance looking back, figuring it was a cop. The car came to a screeching halt beside him, and he heard her voice say,   
  
"Get in!" He jerked open the door and leapt in. She was off before he had both feet in, flooring it down the alley. She raced through the streets at reckless speeds. As they came round a corner, they were coming directly at two cop cars who turned themselves broad-ways across the road.   
  
"Whoa, whoa --" said Dom, when she didn't let off the accelerator. "Whoa -"   
  
She disregarded him and shot between the gap of the two cop cars. He stared at her. Dom was always nervous when he wasn't doing the driving.   
  
When she was sure they'd lost them, she slowed the car to a reasonable speed and got back on the main road.   
  
"You're the last person in the world I expected to show up," said Dom, after a minute. She laughed.   
  
"I figured I'd get in your good graces."  
  
"You are in my good graces. You drive like you've done this before."  
  
"I guess you could say that."  
  
"Alright, so what's your name?"  
  
"What, you gonna have one of your guys run a profile? I don't think so." He laughed.   
  
"You check up."  
  
"I like to know who I'm dealing with."  
  
"So do I. Gimme your name."  
  
She raised her eyebrows, sizing up the situation. After a minute, she said,   
  
"Ellie." He wasn't going to be satisfied with that, she could tell. He raised his eyebrows in a traditional "don't-bull-shit-with-me" face.   
  
"You just need something to call me by," she said.   
  
"Well, look, Ellie, I ain't never let anyone take the upper hand on me. Give me your damn name." The note of ferocity hidden under his voice reminded her that he was a dangerous guy. Again, she sized up the situation. Deciding to play it on the safe side, she said at length,   
  
"Arsemanian."   
  
"Arsemanian? Italian?"  
  
"No, Armenian."  
  
He was about to say something, then turned to looked at the revving engines behind them.   
  
"Oh, great --" he said, suddenly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's gonna be a long-ass night, that's what," he said, as a group of motorcyclists surrounded them. One of them tapped on the window with a gun.   
  
"Follow us," he said. Ellie looked at Dom, who nodded. She turned off after them, and parked in front of a bar.   
  
"Yo, Dom, since when you let the women drive?" asked one of the guys, as he walked up towards us with arms outstretched.   
  
"Shut up, Lance," said another fellow who was obviously a leader. Then he turned to Dom.  
  
"I thought we had an agreement. You stay away, I stay away … everybody stays happy."  
  
"We got lost, Johnny, what do you want me to tell ya?"  
  
"Who's 'we'?"  
  
"Uh, my new girlfriend." Ellie looked at him quickly. "Ellie, meet Johnny Tran. The guy in the snakeskin pants, that's his cousin Lance. So when are you gonna give me a shot at that Honda 2000 of yours?" said Dom.   
  
Johnny ignored him and watched the rest of his guys encircle us.   
  
"Come on Johnny, what you trying to pull?"  
  
Johnny held up his hands.   
  
"Nothing, bro, nothing -"   
  
One of the guys stepped up behind Ellie, and said,   
  
"Hey, Johnny, not bad goods. What d'ya say we let him off the hook on a trade?" He run his hands across her stomach. She spun on him gripped him by the forearm.   
  
"Unless you wanna be sterile for the rest of your life, I suggest backing off," she said. "I wear heels for a reason."   
  
"Whoa-ho-hoahh!" said the guy and draped his loose arm down her hip. "Feisty…" Her heel shot up just as Dom's fist came down on the base of his neck. He was forced downwards before he even had time to double up. Dom's eyes met Ellie's as the man disappeared from between them. They both stepped back, and Johnny laughed.   
  
"Alright, alright. Someone get him up. Let's go guys," he said. Then he turned to Dom.  
  
"I'll see you in the desert!" They revved their bikes and took off.   
  
"What the hell was that all about?" she asked.   
  
"Long story. Let's get outta here." Before they'd taken two steps towards the car, however, Johnny was back, and he blasted the car with his gun.   
  
"Shit," said Ellie, as they drove off.   
  
"NOS!" yelled Dom, and grabbed Ellie by the forearm and threw her in front of him, as the whole car exploded behind them. The force flung them several yards forward. Dom landed almost directly on her, and they skidded several feet on the asphalt. He rolled off of her and knelt beside her.   
  
"You okay?" he asked. She was already sitting up.   
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. He stood up and she allowed him to pull her to her feet. They were both sooty and dirty, and had scrapes on their arms.   
  
"So what the hell was that?" she asked again.  
  
"Long story."  
  
"We got a twenty-mile hike. Enlighten me," she said.   
  
  
  
* * *   
  
The cab drove up outside of Dom's, and he pulled open the door and hopped out.   
  
"Yo, Ellie, you wanna come in for a beer?"  
  
"Sure," she said, with a smile.   
  
He tossed a couple of bills at the driver and with mock politeness gestured her flamboyantly towards the door. He watched her back as she walked up the steps, unable to keep his eyes off her tight butt and defined shoulders. He wondered idly how long her hair was and wondered if he'd be able to find out tonight.   
  
  
  
She did spend the night, but it wasn't in his bed, something Dom was pretty unhappy about. She had borrowed a blanket and slept on Mia's floor. The evening had followed a trend: they'd drink a beer together, and he'd start to slide his hand over her shoulder, and she'd get up and talk to someone else, so he'd call her over for another beer. And that's the way it went all night. Dom wasn't at all happy. The next morning, as she was taking a shower, he confronted Mia about it over breakfast.   
  
"So what's the deal with Ellie?"  
  
"What are you, hot for her?" said Mia, with a grin.   
  
"Shut up, Mia."  
  
"Ahhh, Dom, you're way out of your league."  
  
"What makes you say that? You didn't have to say that."  
  
"Because. She's a crazy chick. She ain't gettin' in bed with you until you put a ring on her finger. One of those types."  
  
"Ahh…"  
  
At that moment, Ellie walked in, fully-dressed, wet hair hanging down her back. It was long, Dom noticed. He frowned, looking at her. She noticed his stare.   
  
"Morning. Don't you look happy."  
  
"He's not a morning person," said Mia. "Want some toast?"  
  
"Sure."   
  
Well, so, there's Chapter One. Hope you enjoyed it. More to come soon as I have already completed the story. I'll post if I get positive reviews. There's so many Dom/OC romances floating around, I thought I'd add mine to the bunch, although I hope there is more to this than the typical romance. Surprises to come!  
  
I hope the formatting isn't screwed up on this. I'll check, and if it is, try to fix it in the next chapter. Let me know what you think, everyone who reviews gets a peice of chocolate and a kiss on the nose! 


	2. The guy every chick in the racing world ...

Hello there, readers! So glad this got good reviews. Makes me happy! ::Piece of chocolate and kiss on the nose to Flamer33 and tempest-racer:: My muse has been happy lately, so he's provided me with lots of work (::salutes my muse, Jack::). Here's chapter two! And to address the comment from tempest-racer, Letty and the rest of the team show up in this chapter, yay! Don't worry, they're in the whole fic. This story was orignial one big long short story, but I split it up into chapters to post it on here. It is complete now (you can thank Jack), and I will post it as I feel like it (mwahaha I am evil). So, this author's note is turning into a novel! Onto the story!!  
  
From then on, it seemed like Ellie was always in the garage. Dom had begun by asking her over, and then Mia became friends with her and took over that job, and eventually, she started staying on a cot in Mia's room as they all prepped for Race Wars together. Somehow, she had just become part of the team. It sort of amazed Dom: the southern chick and the L.A. street racers. She got along so well with everybody, including, crazily enough, Letty, who didn't get along with anyone in the female race, except Mia. Dom was finding that Letty was getting the in the way of a lot of things. Things had never been serious between him and Letty, but nowadays, he couldn't even enjoy sex with her anymore, and she was getting unhappy. Not to mention Dom, who was miserable. He just couldn't take his eyes off of Ellie. He didn't let on to anyone, and Letty was the only one who guessed. She and Ellie were alone in the garage one day, when Letty laughed suddenly.   
  
"What?" asked Ellie.  
  
"I was just thinkin' about Dom."  
  
"You guys serious?"  
  
"Nah, far from it. Little sex now and then, but, hell, he's pissing me off now." She laughed again. "Thanks to you."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Oh, God, don't tell me you haven't noticed him watchin' you."  
  
"Been trying to ignore it."  
  
"He's gone obsessive. You didn't know him before, but Dom wasn't concerned with anyone but himself. He didn't watch nobody. Never had a woman he could get, and even then, it wasn't too big of a deal. You've gotten to him."   
  
Ellie laughed.   
  
"It wouldn't be so big of a deal, but -- there're just too many problems."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Too many. It's funny I should snag the guy that every chick in the racing world is after, and I don't want him." Or do I? she couldn't help asking herself, silently.  
  
  
  
"Lunch!" yelled Ellie, as she walked from the kitchen into the garage, carrying a plate of sandwiches. There was a mingled response of approval from the various mechanics, and they all appeared from under cars, in cars, behind cars, and beside cars to retrieve their lunches. Only Dom didn't appear.   
  
"Dom!" yelled Ellie. "You don't get you butt over here, I'm giving your sandwich to Vince!" Vince was eyeing it hungrily.   
  
"Take it, V!" said Dom, from somewhere in or around his car. Ellie shrugged, tossed the sandwich to Vince, and walked over to Dom.   
  
"What's up?" she asked, finding Dom under the car.   
  
"Hydraulics are all screwed up."  
  
"Hmm …" Ellie grabbed his foot and pulled. The cart he was lying on slid out and he looked up at her, surprised.   
  
"Take a break," she said.   
  
"Ellie, look at these hoses! They're a mess."  
  
"I think you should take a break."  
  
He frowned, shrugged, and stood up.  
  
"I've got a beer for you in the house, come on." They walked into the kitchen and she tossed him a beer, popping open her own.   
  
"Now, aside from cars, what's goin' on?" Ellie asked.   
  
"What is going on?" he looked at me in amazement. "You've been right here, what's your problem?"  
  
"You've just shut up a little bit lately."  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"It means that you've been this strong-but-silent guy for about two weeks now."  
  
"What makes you think I'm not that way all the time?"  
  
"Toretto, just because you didn't used to see me at the races, doesn't mean I wasn't there. Besides, I've been here for two months. This is strange."  
  
He frowned. Ellie was backing him into a corner and he didn't like it. Dom took that moment to take the upper hand. He narrowed his eyes.   
  
"How about you? It's just occurred to me that I don't know a damn thing about you. Fill me in."  
  
She was stonily silent. Why the hell had she brought him in here? What was she thinking? He smirked, took a swig of his Corona, and walked out. Ellie bit her lip and sat down, thinking about the conversation she had had with Letty earlier. What the hell was she playing at?  
  
Ellie parked the car in front of the Texaco when there was a yell.  
  
"Put your hands behind your back!." She frowned and complied, feeling a set of cuffs clamped around her wrists. She was backed into a car, and zipped downtown. As they drove up, she said,   
  
"Dammit, Muse, take these things off. I mean, shit, you put 'em on so tight!"  
  
"I like realism."  
  
"He likes realism… Sarge, I've only got a minute," she said to the bearded cop standing in front of her. "Dom's expecting me back in about fifteen minutes and it's a ten minute drive."   
  
"So whattya got?"  
  
"Nothin'. If he's plannin' to pull a job, I don't know about it, if he is the guy hijacking the trucks. But I don't think he's the deranged criminal you have him made out to be. Just a little bit of a desperado."  
  
"Oh, that's a big improvement!" said Muse, sarcastically. "You've been in there three weeks and you've got us nothing!"  
  
"I'm going to make a move. Don't rush me. I'm going to check out Hector's garage tonight."  
  
"Okay -- take care of yourself, Ellie. Give me a call when you can."   
  
"Sure, Sarge Muse, see you." She walked out, suddenly feeling guilty. Was she doing right by these people, letting them trust her like this? And Dom? She was having trouble admitting she was attracted to him, but after her conversation with Letty about his attraction to her ... And after what Letty had told her about the guy he had beat, and why, she could think of him quite the same way. He was a huge man, broad-chested, handsome, and dangerous. But somehow lovable. He was a man in everything he did, and Ellie felt that perhaps she had come up against the one person in the world who could have controlled her, if her cared to. It frightened her, and yet somehow, she liked the feeling. She climbed into her truck that had been towed here ("Hasty service," she thought), and paused a moment before putting it in gear. "Damn my work ethic," she thought, with a sigh. It was getting in the way of seeing a clear path through her feelings.   
  
Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Action and angst in the next chapter, hooray! Things pick up a little. Stay tuned, and review! Reviewers THIS time get ... a kiss on the nose from MY MUSE (who is about three inches tall, but very cute, just like his namesake, the infamous Jack Sparrow) and a big bowl of sugar! 


	3. You a cop?

A/N: Hello, readers! Jack says "hello", too. He's been busy, busy, busy working on my POTC fic, but we had time to post the next chapter of this one!! Hooray and huzzah! Do review; I'll give you a seven-layer cookie! Thanks to my reviewers thus far; I am enheartened (is that a word?). Read on!  
  
Chapter Three: You a cop?  
  
Darkness had fallen, and Ellie was on hands and knees, sneaking along the bottom rim of the house, under the windows, on her way to the garage. It didn't take but a second to get inside through a window. She peeked around a bit, checking out the cars inside, and then set off down the ladder to the lower level. She was unconscious before her feet hit the floor. Vince had jammed the back of her head with the butt of his gun.   
  
"Jesus, Ellie!" he said, when he saw who it was, then he frowned. Grabbing the back of her collar, he dragged her into the room, and dropped her on the floor. She groaned indistinctly. He gazed at her suspiciously, then said,   
  
"She moans like a cop!"   
  
Dom stepped out of the shadows, his face a blank. He crossed his arms and watched her silently as she came back to consciousness.   
  
"Ellie," he said, as she blinked her eyes groggily. "This is one of those times when you need to be very clear about what you say. Nod if you understand me." She looked at him. Vince thrust the gun at her and yelled,   
  
"Nod!" Dom held up a hand, and Vince backed off. Ellie nodded.   
  
"Tell me what the hell you're doin' down here," he said.   
  
"Dom --" she said. "Dom, I haven't got a thing to tell you. I swear. I can't -- it's that --" He had never seen her flustered, but she couldn't get the words out now.   
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"Dom, she's a COP!" said Vince.   
  
"You a cop?"  
  
She shook her head.   
  
"I'm gonna believe you, just this once," he said. "But you put one toe out of line, and I swear to God, Ellie-"  
  
She nodded. He turned and left the room. Vince cast her a venomous look and followed. After a moment, she got up, and left the building. Dom's car was gone when she returned.   
  
* * *   
  
Ellie frowned unhappily. She was tearing through the streets of L.A., unhappy and guilty. And angry with herself. How could she do this to these people? These people that she was starting to love and care about? They had accepted her so willingly as part of their strange family of sorts… she'd never felt so guilty. God, she needed a drink. She pulled over in the first beer-joint she saw, checked to make sure her mace was in her pocket and her gun in her bag. She walked in, ordered a Corona, and sat down. She nursed the beer for a while, meditating over what had happened. Two beers later, she decided she'd better go before she got drunk. It was then that Johnny Tran slid in the booth beside her. She looked at him, and scooted over to put some space between them.   
  
"What're you doing here?" she asked.   
  
"Just wanted to check in on a friend."  
  
"Friend? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Buzz off, Johnny, I'm in the mood for you right now."  
  
"How can you know if you're in the mood for me? You've only seen me once." At that point, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.   
  
"Turn me loose," she said, calmly and quietly. He didn't respond, only held her tighter. She went for the mace in her pocket.   
  
"Hey!" he said, catching her wrist. "You don't want to mess with me, honey. I know something you don't." Ellie made to throw her hand up and catch him in the chin with her fist, but she didn't get that far, because suddenly Lance was peering over the edge of the booth, and he had her shoulders in a secure grasp, and a gun at the back of her neck.   
  
"Stand up," said Johnny. She complied, and they made their way out of the building and around back. Ellie felt her heart pounding. Johnny didn't say anything for a moment, just stared at her. Then he said,   
  
"What's Dom running in the desert next month?"  
  
"All this about a car!?" said Ellie, incredulously. Johnny grabbed her by the shoulders and slammed her into the brick wall. She didn't get her arms out in front of her to catch her fall, so she struck the wall full-force with the side of her face and shoulder. She jumped away from the wall immediately. Away from his hands now, she stood a chance. She backed away from Johnny and went for her mace again. Damn, why didn't she keep her bag on her shoulder always? Lance was at her side before she could pull out the mace. He pulled her arms behind her back and Johnny retrieved the mace.   
  
"Time we got this away from you -" he said, and landed a punch on her jaw. She winced and he hit her in the stomach. Grabbing her away from his cousin, he threw her onto the asphalt. She could feel herself getting bruised and scraped up all over. Twice, tonight, she'd been an idiot -  
  
"Get up," said Tran. She was already half-way to her feet when he spoke, which Johnny didn't like. He shoved her down again, and kicked her in the back. She was already on her way up again when he struck her over the head, hard. Ellie blacked out.   
  
  
  
Ellie was floating somewhere at the bottom of a dark pit, and there was pain everywhere. God, she hurt. She was cold. Wincing, she forced herself to open her eyes. It was dark all around her and it took her a moment to adjust. She finally realized she was still behind the bar, alone. Coming conscious had doubled the pain and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. She took a deep breath and tried to assess the situation. She looked down at herself -- fully clothed, although she was a dirty mess. She wasn't sore anywhere to worry her that they'd raped her, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She shuddered, suddenly very afraid. She was behind some filthy bar, so beat up she could barely move, and no one knew. Who was going to pick her up? Not Dom, certainly - not after what had happened that night. His temper - he wouldn't come if he knew. It pained her that she had ruined everything with Dom, the man that, out of the whole team, she had come to love and respect the most. She shoved that thought from her mind, and realized she had her cell in her back pocket, if it hadn't been crushed. Groaning with the agony of moving, she retrieved it. It was all right, miraculously. As she turned it on, an annoying series of beeps alerted her that she had fifteen missed calls. All from the same person, she realized. All from Dom. Maybe, just maybe, he'd come pick her up if she called… she was too much in pain to feel embarrassed. The punched in Dom's cell number and heard it ringing. He picked up on the second ring. He must have looked at the display screen before answering, because he said,   
  
"Ellie! Where are you?" His voice was thick, worried.   
  
"Dom -" her voice came out no more than a whisper. She cleared her throat and tried again.   
  
"Dom - can you come pick me up?"  
  
"Where are you? Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm a little roughed up," she said. Dom noticed how thin and weak her voice was. "I'm behind Roselita's - that bar on eighteenth street. Dom, please just come pick me up, I'm sorry -"   
  
"Ellie, I'm coming, okay? Hang on, alright?"  
  
She mumbled something in response, but he didn't hear it. Her phone clicked off.   
  
Ellie huddled into a ball, whimpering at the motion. Tears slipped down her cheeks. She'd screwed a whole lot up in the last few hours. She was scared, and angry at herself. It seemed like hours, waiting for Dom, and she was afraid he wasn't coming. It was really only minutes, however. It felt like hours to Dom as well. He was terrified. She'd sounded awful. He didn't care what the hell she was doing in the garage, he just wanted her to be okay.   
  
Dom raced back around the bar. It took him a moment to see her, huddled in the shadows.   
  
"Aw, shit," he breathed and knelt beside her.   
  
"Dom -" she said. "I'm so sorry! I am - a -" she broke off as he placed a finger over her lips.   
  
"Shh -- shh - it's okay, it's alright, okay? Just calm down. Come on. Let's get you out of here." He lifted her up as gently as he could, but she cried out anyway. He almost winced himself at the thought of hurting her. As he passed under a light, he saw just how beat up she was, and he inhaled sharply. Dammit, he would kill whoever had done this to her, the motherfucker! There had only been one other time in his life when he had felt like this.   
  
A/N: So, right, there's chapter three. Sorry; I'm evil to my characters ... mwahaha ... jk, but I had to find a way to get Dom worried about her, because, of course, this is a Dom/OC romance, so ... Anyhoo, review! 


	4. If you don't stop, I won't be able to

A/N: ahhh, reviews. so happy! onto chapter four!  
  
Chapter Four: If you don't, I won't be able to  
  
She was unconscious when Dom carried her into the house. The rest of the team was waiting in the TV room, looking anxious. They jumped up when they heard his voice.   
  
"Get the door!" Mia raced for it and yanked it open.   
  
"Oh, my God -" she whispered when she saw Ellie. "Dom, what happened?"  
  
"Mia, get me some towels, okay? And some ice." He carried her gently upstairs and into the bathroom. Ellie groaned as he set her in the tub and started to peel off her clothes.   
  
"It's okay, baby…" he breathed. "Shit, they really did a piece on you…" He had her down to her bra and underwear, and she was bruised and bleeding all over. He pulled down the shower handle and gently sprayed her with warm water. Mia walked in with some fresh towels and ice.   
  
"I'll change the sheets on your bed for her," said Mia, walked out.   
  
"Thanks -" said Dom, and set about cleaning her up as gently as possible.   
  
  
  
A few hours later, Ellie felt herself swimming back to consciousness. She winced almost immediately. Dom was sitting in a chair by her head. He caught her eyes open, and he said anxiously,   
  
"Ellie?"  
  
"Hey," she said, softly.   
  
"How do you feel?" he asked.   
  
"Okay. Just a little sore."   
  
"What happened?"  
  
"A couple of your friends went a little car-deranged."   
  
"What?"  
  
"Johnny Tran. That guy takes his cars way too seriously--" she added quickly, hoping to avert him from the rage she saw blackening his features. She was unsuccessful, however. Dom's face was absolutely squared. His teeth were clenched and his eyes were smoldering.  
  
"I'll kill him-" he muttered.   
  
"Dom, don't. Calm down," she said.   
  
"He's not getting away with this!"   
  
"Don't make a huge thing out of it. Let it ride itself out. It's my fight. Let me take his ass at Race Wars, then we'll see who comes out on the upper hand. Come on, you know what I'm running. I can beat him."   
  
"I don't car about the stupid race -- this isn't about that!"   
  
"Let it be about that. Look, you know I can handle myself. I was stupid last night. But I can take care of myself. Let me deal with this my way."  
  
Dom didn't say anything, but only to avert an argument. His plans hadn't changed. When Race Wars rolled around, Tran would be sorry. His features softened slightly as he looked at her, and his jaw unclenched. She thought it was because of her argument, but Dom knew it was just looking at her. She made him feel so protective, like he was looking after Mia. But it was different. That was his little sister. This was the first girl he didn't just want to get into bed with. Not that that was a bad idea either. She was watching him watch her, her eyes soft and questioning.   
  
"Dom," she said, at last. "What is this?"  
  
"What's what?"  
  
"This. Why is it you here? Not Mia? I don't see you as the medic of the household."  
  
His looked at her for a moment, judging the situation. Then, he threw caution to the wind as he did only with his life. He leaned in and kissed her. Soft and gentle at first, and when she hungrily reciprocated, harder and more passionate. His arms crawled around her back and pulled her to him. The kiss sent electricity shooting down Ellie's limbs and she began to shake slightly. Dom became more intense and with effort she broke away from him.   
  
"Dom -" she whispered. He ignored her and lightly teased the edges of her lips.   
  
"Dom -" she tried again. Then, stronger, "Dom!" He broke away and looked at her.   
  
"Dom, stop -- because if you don't, I won't be able to. And I'll break every rule I ever made for myself." He stared into her eyes for a long moment, then nodded. He smiled slightly and kissed her on the tip of the nose.   
  
  
  
* * *   
  
The morning of the Race Wars dawned cold and clear. Ellie didn't want to do her job. She had never been so miserable and happy at the same time. Dom seemed almost never to leave her side. He would sneak up randomly behind her, pick her up, put her in his lap, and kiss her. Or tickle her. He was so loving, and so careful. He never tried to tempt her to do anything she didn't want to do, or couldn't do. She wanted to just quit the job, and admit everything, and just stay here. She'd never been so tempted by any man in her entire life. She couldn't stand not sharing this huge dark secret with Dom. She felt horrible. He would be there, doing her some small kindness, and all she could feel was guilt, and love. All of these thoughts ran through her mind as she drove to the desert, alone, following the other couple of cars from the team. They came up on the track, pulled in, and then they split and went their different ways. Ellie raced twice, won twice, and then settled back to watch the others, waiting for Tran. She saw Jesse driving his Dad's rig up to the line and walked over to Leon.   
  
"What's he racin' for?"  
  
"Pinks. Against Johnny."  
  
"Aw, shit."   
  
"Yeah..."  
  
Jesse lost, and he panicked. He took off, tearing away from the race complex.   
  
"Shit," Leon and Ellie said in unison, giving each other worried glances. Dom walked up just as Johnny drove up.   
  
"Where's Jesse goin'?" asked Dom.   
  
"He just raced Tran for slips," said Leon.   
  
"Shit -"  
  
"Hey, where's he goin'?" yelled Johnny.   
  
"Went to the carwash!" said Dom. The air was tense.   
  
"Well, whatever, go fetch my car."  
  
"Go fetch your car?" said Dom, incredulously. "We're not on your block anymore. You better watch who you talk to like that." Dom walked away.   
  
"Toretto!" yelled Tran. Dom didn't turn. "TORETTO!" He turned, but didn't look at Johnny, who spoke anyway.   
  
"SWAT came into my house! Disrespected my whole family because somebody narc'd me out. And you know what? It was YOU!" Dom hit him so hard and so fast that it was blur, and Johnny was on the ground, with a bloody nose. Dom leapt on him, fury written all over him. The crowd tried to pull them apart, but Dom was too strong and too angry.   
  
"DOM, CHILL OUT MAN!"  
  
"GET OFF OF HIM!"  
  
"Dom!" Ellie screamed, and grabbed his shoulders. "Dom, let him up, let go!" Leon and V shoved her out of the way and hauled him up. It took both of them to hold him back, and then just barely. He was yelling.   
  
"I never narc'd on nobody! I NEVER narc'd on nobody!"   
  
"Dom, let's go!" Ellie cried, and the four of them sprinted out of the crowd.   
  
"Dom," she said. "Jesse - Johnny's gonna go after him!" Dom frowned, and the two of them leapt into a car. Dom revved the engine and looked at Ellie.   
  
"What are you doing here?"   
  
"I'm going with you."  
  
"Like hell you are!"  
  
"Just drive!" she said. He floored it and they took off, weaving through cars and getting out of the raceway. They drove about twenty miles, when he suddenly pulled off the road and stopped the car.   
  
"They're a ways behind us. I want to talk to you."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I want you to tell me the truth. You've been bullshittin' me this whole time and I want to know what's really going down here. I can feel it. Every time I'm with you." His voice was anxious and hard at the same time.  
  
Ellie looked at him silently.   
  
"DAMMIT, Ellie, TELL ME!" His voice was furious. He slammed his hand down on the dashboard. Then he leaned over to her, pulled her close to him, and kissed her passionately. She had absolutely no control, and she didn't want it. When he released her, he held her face in both of his hands, and her body was only inches from him. She was reminded, again, of what a huge man he was.  
  
"Okay," she said softly. Her eyes suddenly filled up with tears, and she looked away. He gripped her chin and pulled her to face him.  
  
"Dom -" she said. "You're right. I'm not who you think I am… I -" she broke off and then plunged on, recklessly: "I'm a cop. I've been undercover since the first time I met you. But, Dom, I swear to God, I've never regretted something more in my entire life. I don't want to hurt any of you, I don't want to turn anyone in, I want to just stop, to quit."   
  
He stared at her, his face becoming a hard blank.   
  
"Dom - Dom, say something -" she said desperately. "Dom, please."   
  
"You're a damn cop, and you're asking me to say, 'Oh, don't worry, I don't care'?" he said harshly.   
  
"No, Dom -"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
He turned the key and pulled out into the road again, and gunned the motor. She turned her face back out the side window as they tore down the road.   
  
Dom was gripping the wheel, and his muscles were tightening under his skin, trying to contain his sadness, fury, betrayal, and disappointment. How could she be a cop? It was a strange feeling for Dom, because he never had a problem letting people go. He'd hardened himself to it, because Dom didn't need anyone. No one could hurt him. But, somehow, he was having trouble dealing with this.   
  
As they drove, they saw Jesse's car in the distance, and the roaring of bike engines behind them became audible.   
  
"Shit," said Dom. She looked at him suddenly and he said, his voice toneless,  
  
"Pull up the seat top in the backseat. There's a couple of guns back there. Give me one." She complied.   
  
"What do you want? The shotgun, .22, or the pistol?"  
  
"Give me the .22."   
  
"I'm taking your shotgun, then."  
  
"You're staying in the car."   
  
"Dom -"  
  
"You're staying in the car."   
  
He was serious, so she only grabbed the .22 and climbed back up front.   
  
"I'm going to get in Jesse's car. Take the wheel when I jump out."  
  
"Okay," said Ellie, as Dom pulled alongside of Jesse's car and yelled,   
  
"Open your door!"   
  
"Dom!" said Ellie. He looked at her. "Be careful."  
  
"Always," he said, and leaped from car to car. Ellie flung herself at the wheel and accelerated to get out of the way. Dom had made the leap, and she spun the car around and began to race the other way in the hopes that a few of Johnny's guys would follow her. Two of them spun and swerved after her. Ellie accelerated, then dropped back so that they wouldn't lose her. Suddenly, the window pane behind her shattered. She yelped and accelerated. The radio on the seat next to her crackled.   
  
"Ellie! Come back this way!"   
  
It was Jesse's voice. She spun around to face the two thugs. Shooting between them, she gave it some Nos, and disappeared in the distance. They followed. As she crested a hill, she heard the radio crackle, "Shit Ellie go back!", but it was too late. She saw the other four of the six coming at her, and Jesse's car in hot pursuit. There was a couple of shots and two of the bikes swerved off and tumbled into the ditch. The two bikers weren't slowing down, and to avoid hitting them, she'd have to turn. She wrenched the wheel, hit one of the fallen bikes and the car went flying through the air, flipped twice, and crashed upside-down off on the side of the road and slid a few hundred feet.   
  
A/N: mwahaha a cliffhanger! Told you I was mean to characters I like. Thanks for all the reviews, I'm touched! So's Jack. More to come soon! 


	5. What a Mess

Chapter Five: What a Mess  
  
Dom fired two times, and brought another one down. The other three beat it. Jesse spun around and came to a screeching halt close-by to Ellie's crash.   
  
"Stay here!" Dom yelled, and jumped out. He ran over to the car.  
  
"Ellie? Elle!" He bent down and looked in the car. She was unconscious, with blood pouring from a cut on her forehead. The door was jammed. He had to force it loose to get to her. "Ellie? Come on girl, talk to me -" he muttered, and felt for a pulse. She had a strong one, and he was relieved. He pulled her out gently, and carried her a few yards away from the car in case it blew.   
  
"Come on girl, Elle-" he said, voice anxious. He ran a hand through her hair, and she stirred faintly. "Elle?"   
  
She opened her eyes, and shifted in his arms.   
  
"Dom?"  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"I think so…" she started to pull herself away from him to stand, but he pulled her back.   
  
"Lie still a minute." She relaxed, reluctantly. "Look, Elle, I'm sorry for what I said."  
  
"Apologizing isn't really your thing."  
  
"No. Take what you can get."  
  
"Yeah … Dom, I'm so sorry - I'm just going to walk away from the job. I would be, even if - Look, Dom, I was prepared for everything when I came in on this job. Come it, get the information, get out - I've done it before. I was prepared for everything - except you."  
  
He stared at her for a second. Then he pulled her into a kiss, hands sliding around her backside. Back in the car, Jesse chuckled to himself.   
  
When they drove back in to Race Wars, Mia, Leon, Letty, and Vince immediately poured out of the trailer. Mia looked like she'd been crying. Letty raced over and hugged all three of them, which caused Dom to laugh. Hard-headed little Letty!   
  
"God, you guys scared me!" Mia said. "Thank God you're okay. Oh, my God, Ellie, are you alright?"   
  
"I'm fine," she said.   
  
  
  
Ellie was sitting in the trailer alone later that night, half-napping, half-reading. She was aware, suddenly, of Mia's voice, raised and strained.   
  
"No, Dom, please!"   
  
"Mia, what is the matter with you? I'm doing this for both of us!"  
  
"Naw, bullshit! You're doing this for you! Look, I've watched you do this, and I haven't said --"  
  
"Mia --"  
  
"Dom, please, I am asking you not to go!"  
  
There was a silence, and Dom jumped in his car and drove off. Ellie hurried anxiously out of the trailer over to Mia.   
  
"Mia, what's going on?"  
  
"Nothing, Ellie -"  
  
"What, you always have tears in your eyes when he drives away!? What's he racing off for?" Suddenly, Ellie was scared. Oh, please, no…   
  
"Mia… is it about the trucks?"  
  
Mia froze. "What trucks?"  
  
"The trucks! Do you know about them?"  
  
Mia didn't say a word.   
  
"Look, Mia, I'm a cop," said Ellie, at length. "I'm walking off the job, it's not right - "  
  
"Oh, my God," said Mia, incredulously, furiously. She started to walk away.   
  
"Mia, please! If I had any idea what it was going to be like in here, I wouldn't have taken the job! Mia, Dom knows, okay? He knows! But you don't realize, if he's hijacking trucks right now, every law enforcement agency within a hundred miles of L.A. is coming down on him! He, and Letty, and Leon, Vince, and Jesse -- they're going down! Unless you help me now, so I can stop them. Where are they going?"  
  
Mia stared at her, weighing her options, weighing the truth of Ellie's words. Finally, she nodded. Both women jumped into Mia's car, and took off.   
  
"The Buicks are stashed somewhere outside of Thermal," said Mia.   
  
"Where would they head?"  
  
"I don't know -" Ellie picked up her cell, punched in a number, and said,   
  
"Yeah, this is Officer Ellie Kelson." Mia's eyes narrowed. "I need a cell phone trace." She turned to Mia. "Mia, what's Dom's cell number?" When Mia didn't respond, she raised her voice.   
  
"Mia, she needs Dom's cell phone number now!"   
  
Mia took the phone and gave the attendant the number. Ellie listened to the results, nodded, hung up, and stepped on the gas.  
  
"We're forty miles away."   
  
  
  
Thirty minutes of driving later, Ellie had crested a hill in time to see the disaster unfolding by the truck and the two Buicks. Jesse and Dom's cars were speeding by the truck, but Letty and Leon were no where to be seen. Vince was tied to the truck, still hooked somewhere by the cord, and dangling from one arm. Dom was leaned out of his car, trying to get to them. There was a shot gun blast and Vince yelled in pain.   
  
"DOMINIC!"   
  
"VINCE! Grab my hand!"  
  
Ellie swore under her breath.   
  
"What a mess, Holy God --"  
  
Suddenly, another blast ripped through Dom's car hood, and he spun out of control. Jesse spun back to pick him up. Ellie accelerated and said to Mia,   
  
"Take the wheel!"   
  
"What?"  
  
"Take the wheel! I'm gonna get him offa there!" Mia crawled into the seat and Ellie pushed the roof off her car and perched on the door.   
  
"V, hang on!" she called. She managed to make the jump between the car and the truck. Pulling Vince's weight off the cord, she untangled him.  
  
"Aiight, V, come on," she said. "Now!" she yelled, more to herself than to Mia or Vince and hurled him at the car. He managed to do the rest himself. The truck-driver fired another round and Ellie leaped, making it just in front of the bullet. Mia accelerated to get out of the way, and spiraled off the road, bringing them to a stop.   
  
Jesse, Dom, Leon, and Letty appeared almost simultaneously. Ellie and Mia were bent over Vince in the middle of the field (A/N: yes ... I have always wondered why they dragged him to the middle of the field. But it's funny, so I kept it).   
  
"Watch her!" he said to Leon, in reference to Letty, who was a little banged up after her crash. He and Jesse ran over.   
  
"Come on, V, hold on!" Ellie was saying, and wrapping his belt around his forearm as a tourniquet. They both knelt down.   
  
"If we don't get him to a hospital in ten minutes he's dead!" Ellie said. Dominic bit his lip. Ellie pulled out her cell phone.   
  
"Yeah. Yeah, this is Officer Ellie Kelson. I need an lifeflight roll out. I've got a male, about 25 years of age, with real deep lacerations to the right arm an' - and he's a shot gun wound at close range to his left flank. My 20 is Highway 86, Mile Marker 27. Yeah, and he's goin' into shock!"   
  
A/N: Hi readers. Thought I would address one review I got (which is not a bad one, I don't mind the review; I just thought I'd do a little explaining). From Remnants-2011: ....You could at least use you own lines and plot and not completely use TFATF...  
  
Yeah, I realize I use a lot of the lines of TFATF, mainly because I like them so much. ::winces:: From this next chapter on, however, it gets original, as I follow the characters after the film. I just needed to set up getting Dom and Ellie together ... you'll see, yay! Will update soon! 


	6. Don't Forget Too Much

A/N: Ahah! Two updates in one day; ya'll are lucky! Hoorah!   
  
Chapter Six: Don't Forget Too Much  
  
An hour later, Mia, Dom, Ellie, and Jesse were back at the house. Dom was soaked in Vince's blood, who was presumably at the hospital. Dom sat in the kitchen, untouched corona in front of him, head in his hands. Mia was in her room. Jesse was in the garage. Ellie sat tiredly on the couch in a position almost identical to Dom's, minus the beer. Now what? was all she could think. Now what? Leon and Letty were long gone, trying to get a short-notice flight out of the US and down to Mexico. It was out now that it was they hijacking the trucks and forces outside of Ellie's jurisdiction would take control. Dom, Mia, Vince, once he was healed, everyone would go to jail. She shuddered. They had to get out of there. She stood and walked into the kitchen.   
  
"Dom," she said. He looked up.   
  
"You have to get out of here."  
  
"I know. I can't leave Vince."  
  
"I can take care of Vince."  
  
"You can't stay behind. They know you covered for me."  
  
"I haven't. All they've got is suspect. I didn't know about the trucks until three this morning. They can't touch me."  
  
"I don't want to leave you here."   
  
"I don't want you to go. But you have to. And I have to stay." Dom's face became a blank. He nodded.   
  
"That's the way it's gotta be."   
  
"Yeah," Ellie whispered. "Look, I can clear for Vince. He'll only get two years, one if he's lucky. Let me know where you go. I'll send him down when his time is up." Dom nodded. He walked upstairs.   
  
"Line us up a flight," he said, over his shoulder. She could only nod. Her throat was too tight to speak.   
  
* * *  
  
Vince got 18 months. She'd done all she could. Six months in, she visited him. He was sitting on a bench and she walked over to him. He was shocked to see her.   
  
"Hey, Vince," she said, nervously, sitting down.   
  
"Hey, Ellie."   
  
"How ya hangin'?"   
  
"Okay…" he said.   
  
"Vince … you heard from anyone?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh…" her voice fell. It must have been obvious she hadn't either by her tone, because he looked a little disappointed as well. He frowned suddenly.   
  
"You're a cop."  
  
"I was a cop."  
  
"What's that supposed to me?"  
  
"It means I turned in my badge six months ago," she whispered.   
  
"D'you turn us in?"  
  
"HELL, Vince, what do you think!" She yelped. "No! Look, I … I went native! I couldn't have turned ya'll in, even if I wasn't --" she broke off, and he finished her sentence for her.  
  
"…Even if you weren't in love with Dominic." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why're you here?" he asked.   
  
"Look, V, I came here, because I've gotta make some kind of peace with you."  
  
"Because you can't make peace with anyone else."  
  
"Yes. But if you all were here, I'd still be trying to settle the score between us. I can't help what was my job. I couldn't know what life here was like." He shook his head.   
  
"That's enough. I've heard it." She frowned.   
  
"V, there's something else. Here's Dom's address in Mexico. Go find him when you're out."  
  
"Where're you going?"   
  
"I'm going home."  
  
"Where's home?"  
  
"Virginia. Country spot, if they haven't urbanized it by now."  
  
"Huccome you're leaving?" he asked, his voice genuinely curious.   
  
"I can't be here anymore."  
  
"The smoke's cooled off. You got it so bad for Dom, why aren't you goin' down there with him?"  
  
"V …" Ellie sighed. Why tell this to him? She plunged on regardless. "I'm a old school Virginia girl. I used to have plans for myself. I still do. I'm going to go back East and see if I can pick up the pieces. I used to want to be a writer. Maybe I can fix what got spoiled in LA and forget what made me so happy. LA is Dom to me. I've made rules for myself I can't go back on. And Dom -" she laughed. "Dom's not the marrying type." Vince chuckled.   
  
"Yeah, you're right there."  
  
Ellie stood up.   
  
"I'll see you around, V."  
  
"No… you won't." She smiled.   
  
"I know." As she walked off, he called,   
  
"Hey, Ellie!" She turned around.   
  
"It's cool," he said. She smiled. "Don't forget too much."  
  
"I won't."   
  
A/N: So, I told you things were going to get original. But we're nearing the finish line here; I hope ya'll've enjoyed this! 


	7. Time Marches On

A/N: Hello readers! Thank you for all the nice reviews! Sorry I have been so long updating, but I have been at the river, being sunburned and hot, etc. Oh well. It was fun! So, here is the much anticipiated seventh chapter, enjoy!   
  
Chapter Seven: Time Marches On  
  
Ellie Kelson sat down at her desk for the fifth time that day. She was trying to get an article out and she was having serious writer's block. Frustrated, she stomped her foot. It was two years since she'd left LA. She was a writer now, and a good one. She'd had a short nonfiction novella published, a general overlook on LA street racing. It'd had served only to exorcise the scene from her mind. Dom remained. The phone call came just as she had gotten an idea to work from for the article. She picked up the ringing cordless.   
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Ellie?"  
  
"Yup?"  
  
"It's Mia."  
  
"Oh, my God," she whispered. Then, louder, "Mia!"   
  
"How are you?!"  
  
"Holdin' up, you? Where are ya'll? Still in Mexico City?"  
  
"Yeah … good…"  
  
"Is V there?"  
  
"Yeah, we're all here. Well, sort of."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Ellie, I have to ask you something."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Are you … do you have a boyfriend, married or anything?" Whatever Ellie had been expecting, it wasn't that.  
  
"Uh … no, Mia, why?"  
  
"Ellie, I'm not really calling for me. Dom just handed me your phone number last night, and asked me to call you, find out what was going on."  
  
"Wuh - why?" Her voice quivered every so slightly. Then,   
  
"I think I know."  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
"Mia, I -" She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I've lived, breathed, dreamed Dominic Toretto for two years. I've just been coming out of that, I've just started living on my own again. There's no one, because I can't even conceive someone taking his place. But … I -- I can't handle him back, not now, not after all of this."  
  
"He loves you. That's what I meant when I said sort of. He's not really here. Dom's in Virginia."  
  
"HE WHAT?!"  
  
"No, not literally -- he --"  
  
"Oh … Mia, just --"  
  
"He wants to come out there. He was afraid you were married or something."  
  
"No. Mia, please, don't let him come out here!" her voice was desperate. "Listen to me, please. Dom cannot give me what I need. No matter what, I can never have all of him. I need to let go of him, I need to find someone who can give me what I need! I need a husband, a home … I need … I need, a real estate agent, or something, someone reliable! I can't -- I love Dom, I love him so much, but he can't give me what I need! I told him, back when, that I'd made all sorts of rules for myself. Dom's the only one who can make me break those rules, and if he came back he would. I need … a non-criminal, I don't - Mia, please tell me you understand! Tell him I'm married! Tell him anything - just --"   
  
"Okay, Ellie," Mia broke in softly. "I understand."  
  
"I love him, Mia," she said, tears in her eyes.   
  
"I know you do. He loves you, too. Ellie, I'm going to tell him the truth. You know I can't lie to Dom."   
  
"Yeah … just … don't let him come out here, okay?"  
  
"I won't. Goodbye, Ellie."  
  
"'Bye, Mia."  
  
She hung up the phone, woodenly, tired, the old nagging feeling of regret coming back. So he did still love her. The question she asked herself every night was answered.  
  
Another year or two passed. Dominic invaded every dream, every thought. Everything reminded her of him. It was a Saturday afternoon, it was January, and the crossover for the General Assembly was going on. She worked part-time as a legislative aid during the Assembly and she was running some papers down to Committee Op.'s for Delegate Bowman. Standing by the statue of Washington, she was both reflecting and trying to make herself move on with her job, move on with her life. She thought of him. She sighed, and walked into the GAB and handed her papers to Dawn. She was done for the day, and got in her car. She turned the key in the ignition and got a nasty buzz.   
  
"Great," she thought, looking down. She knew what was wrong, but didn't have the tools to fix it. She'd learned a lot about cars in LA … She chuckled, and pulled out her cell. She was about to dial AAA, when Bowman knocked on her window. Ellie rolled it down.   
  
"Dave," she said.   
  
"Hey Ellie. Car troubles?"  
  
"Yeah."   
  
"Listen, let me give you the number of this garage right around the corner. Good place, good prices, and the guy does great work. Fast, too. It's 555-2936."  
  
"Thanks," she said, nodding appreciatively, and punched it into her cell. "I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"All right." He walked off. Some kid answered the phone. He introduced the shop and himself so fast she couldn't hear a word he said, only, "how can I help you?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm parked over by the capital." She explained the problem. "Can you come give me a tow and fix it up?"  
  
"Sure, I'll be over there in a second."  
  
A/N: So, that was it, yay. I believe Ch. 8 will be the last chapter, so as we are getting to the end, you people better review, review, review!!! It makes me happy! See the button? PUSH! PUSH! PUSH! PUUUUUSHHH IT, YOU SCURVY DOGS!!  
  
Sorry, that was Jack. He got a little out of control. I'm back now, but the message is the same -- review! I hope you've enjoyed! Drama,drama, drama. Hmm. Well, this is predictable, but OH WELL. yay! Tell me whether or not you thought this was original, towards the end, that is? Thank you! 


	8. I can't take this anymore

A/N: Here's the last chapter before the epilogue!! Enjoy!!  
  
Chapter Eight: I can't take this anymore  
  
They drove up to the little mechanic shop. It was clean, and nice, but Katie got shivers all over. It was called "Toretto's". Did she constantly have to be reminded of him? The kid backed the car into the lift rack.   
  
"Mechanic'll be out in a sec," he said, and walked inside. Katie sat down on a bench to wait. A door opened in the back and the mechanic walked out.   
  
"Oh, my God -" she said.   
  
It was Dom.   
  
He froze, seeing who it was. She gasped,  
  
"Dom -- I -- wha -- what are you doing here? I thought you were in Mexico?"  
  
He didn't say anything, he just walked up to her and looked down.   
  
"Hey, Katie," he said, softly. A tear rolled down her cheek.   
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked again.  
  
"Well," he said with a slight chuckle. "I was studyin' to be a real-estate agent, but it didn't take. I was gonna come find you when I was settled."   
  
Katie froze, caught off guard, not sure what to say.   
  
"You thinking I was just going to forget you?"  
  
"I -- I don't know what I thought. I told Mia to tell you not to come."  
  
"I'm not going to let you go that easy," he said, his voice suddenly swift and rough. He bent down and kissed her. She shook slightly, then tried to pull away, crying.   
  
"Dom, you just can't come back into my life like this! I can't -- I can't take this anymore! Didn't Mia tell you anything?!" she half-shouted.   
  
"Mia told me everything," he said softly, and hunted something out of his pocket.   
  
"I've been carryin' this around for months, waiting for things to take off and stabilize. So I could come find you."   
  
He slipped something into her hand. Small, round, perhaps the size of a penny. When she saw the ring, her tears only intensified. His dark eyes were watching her wet ones. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, and then finally whispered, "yes". He slipped the ring on her finger and she hugged him.   
  
"I've been dreaming about this for four years," she said in his ear.   
  
"So have I - Kate, I'm so sorry."  
  
"Don't be."  
  
"I should've come earlier. Before -" he broke off. "Before you changed." He had never seen her like this. She looked like a wreck -- she was thinner than before, and the violent energy that always seemed to surround her before wasn't there. He felt desperately sorry.   
  
She looked at him.   
  
"I have changed," she said. "You put me through hell."   
  
"Oh, God, Kate -" he whispered.   
  
"You couldn't have known, Dom, it was my own choice. But all I've been able to think about is you."   
  
"You don't have to think about me anymore, baby. I'll be right here, I promise."  
  
A/N: Only one chapter to go! It's actually and epilogue. So enjoy! But please review and let me know: do you think I kept Dom in character? I was a little worried about him proposing, because he's not really the marrying kind, but then, Ellie is special ... so tell me if you think that was okay. And so on. Thank you so much, readers! Ciao for now! 


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